Bring me Back
by Flame Guardian
Summary: Formerly Ties of a Storm. Being Rewritten for a more mature look. Rangers helping another regain herself, part of Silver Guardian Series.
1. Chapter 1

AN: I reread this fic and didn't like how light I made it soI decided to redo it. This one is going to be a more mature look at the same plot with a few obvious changes. Hope you enjoy. And as usual please read and review.

They couldn't understand. No one could, they weren't the ones who had their life ripped away and had to go on living as a shell. I can't tell them, they just wouldn't understand.

Snow was lightly falling across the windshield when they pulled up the long lane way. "You sure this is the place?" Zack asked from the back seat looking around eyes wide.

"Positive. These are the correct coordinates which we were given." Billy replied making eye contact via the rear view mirror.

Zack would you just relax, I'm sure they aren't going to put you to work immediately. Muriel sounded like a really nice lady." Jason said from the passenger seat as he folded up their well wore map.

"I still don't know why we are here. I mean Drece left without a word so what makes her aunt think that she would want to see us?" Kimberly asked as she slouched down in her seat.

Jason turned around to face the girl he considered a little sister, "Look Kim all I know is that her aunt is really worried about her. So since we are her best friends Muriel thought that maybe we could get her to snap out of it or at least talk to someone. You've got to remember that there is a lot about Andrece that we don't know."

Kimberly just sighed again as Billy pulled the blue car up next to a beat up pick-up truck. An older woman stepped out from the farm house dressed in jeans and an over sized flannel shirt, her reddish brown hair was getting tossed in the early spring weather.

"Hello, I'm Annie's aunt Muriel." She said as the teens exited the car.

"Hi I'm Jason we spoke briefly on the phone. This is Zack, Billy and Kimberly." She nodded greetings to the others and ushered them inside. "Thanks for coming up. Annie has been so down since she got here I thought some friendly faces would cheer her up." Muriel led the teens to the second level of the house, the stair creaking with every step. "The bathroom is at the end of the hall, Kimberly I have you bunking in with Annie here." She opened the door to a cozy, very girlish room complete with two twin beds covered in lacy duvets. "Now you three I hope you don't mind but one of you can have Josh's room where the other two have to share the spare room. It's usually only used when I need extra help in the fall."

"Now Annie went out for a ride and I don't know when she'll be back so make your selves at home. None of you are vegetarian are you?" Everyone shook their heads. "Good that makes dinner a lot easier." Muriel gave a slight chuckle. "Sorry kinda got a weird sense of humour never mind me."

Muriel left them to prepare dinner as her guests got situated. Though a round robin of paper-rock-scissor Jason won out the single room as Billy and Zack had to share. Mean while Kim was slowly wandering Andrece's room.

"Hey Kim you okay?" Jason asked poking his head inside. The usually perky brunette shrugged and sighed. "You really don't want to be here do you?"

"It's not that. I mean I thought that Drece and Trini were my best friends in the world. But now looking at everything here it's like I only have Trini, Jason I feel like I don't even know her anymore."

Jason pulled the small frame of Kimberly into a warm hug, "That's why we are here Kim, to get to know the real Andrece Primer."

Kim sniffed and pulled away, "Did you know Andrece drew?" Jason turned around and looked at the posters of sketches on the rear wall. The sketches were of various subjects everything from fruit bowls to horses to Power Rangers. "She's not bad." Jason could only agree.

Down stairs Billy and Zack were waiting for their friend's return. "Don't fret boys Annie knows when it's time to come in." Muriel said as she set the table. The weather outside was turning unpleasant. The boys looked back to the field, and there through the falling snow they could make out a figure coming closer. "Well here she comes now. Why don't you get the others, grab your coats and meet her in the barn?"

"Good idea." They said in unison as they darted away.

Muriel came over to the window and whispered, "Please don't be mad Annie. They're here to help."

The quartet hustled out to the barn excitement of seeing their friend again was warding off the cold. Inside the wooden barn they could hear a voice. It was rambling to someone. Together they walked closer and around the corner of the tack room they saw her.

Andrece had her long red hair loose it reached now just about her mid back. Grinning like a Cheshire cat Zack snuck up upon Andrece.

Her mind went blank when her word when dark. Two hands covered her eyes and a voice tickled her neck. In a sing-song voice it cooed "Guess who?" Fear leapt to her throat making it hard to breath, making it hard to think. Her flight or fight instinct kicked in. She pulled away from the body and turned ready to flee. Her back pressed up against the wall of the pen with the dark figure before her. It spoke again this time the voice was not the same. She didn't hear the concern nor did she see the other three people come closer. She was lost in the vision again.

"Andrece? You okay?" Zack asked when she pulled away suddenly. She all but threw herself against the pen wall. He tried talking to her but she seemed only to become more afraid.

"Zack what did you do?" Kimberly asked not able to tear her eyes from Andrece's frozen body.

"Nothing, I just told her to guess who." He replied in his defence. Billy only nodded as though accepting the information; it was only Jason who moved towards the terrified girl.

"Andrece, relax. You're alright. We aren't going to hurt you." He said softly. He purposely made his movements slow and deliberate, not wanted to scare her more. Slowly ever so slowly he came to sit beside her, with great care he laid his arm across her shoulders not surprised when she tried to pull away. Whispering softly into her ear her shaking and pulling died down. Her glossy wide eye expression changed into one of confusion and then embarrassment. Ever so slowly she came back.

"Andrece are you alright?" Billy asked. The girl's sea green eyes locked onto his blue ones and in an instant he saw the fear carefully veiled just under the surface.

"Oh God, you didn't need to see that." Andrece put her face in her hands trying to get a grip on her embarrassment. It dawned on her that she was being held by some one very familiar, identifying him quickly she pulled away post haste and made a dash for the house.

All four teens looked at each other. None of them had expected that type of greeting. "I think we need to speak with Muriel to discover what exactly transpired here. "Billy said, the others agreed.

"Oh my dear," Muriel muttered when she saw the look on her niece's face when she came racing in. "They are going to want an explanation."

"Where did she go?" asked Zack when the four had returned to the house.

"She's calming down. I suppose I should have warned you before you went out." Muriel led the teens into the warm living room and gestured for them to sit. "You see when Annie came back up here it was like two years ago all over again."

"What happened two years ago?" Kimberly asked as she tucked her feet up under her. She was sharing the couch with Billy, as Zack took the old rocker and Muriel sat in an over stuffed arm chair. Jason was leaning against the door frame.

"Two years ago she was raped." The answer didn't come from Muriel it came from Jason.

"Yes that's right. I know it's not my place to tell but I think you better know. Andrece and her brother Josh were attacked on the way back to their cottage. Josh was paralysed from the waist down and thankfully hedoesn't remember the event but Annie was not so lucky. She was gang rapped by the four boys who attacked them. After the attack she wasn't the same. Her mother denied there was anything wrong with Annie and spent almost all her time with Josh. Annie became mute for a long while and stayed here with me until her dad moved to Angel Grove after the divorce." Muriel looked at the faces of the teens. All but Jason were shocked and looked ill. "During her time with me she was diagnosed with post traumatic stress syndrome. She was very easily startled, had awful reoccurring nightmares of the attack and was prone to zoning out with flashes of the attack. Something in the barn must have triggered it. It seems that since she came back it's like nothing has changed."

"It was my fault. I scared her." Zack said hanging his head.

"You didn't know hun. It's not your fault." Muriel said, Zack only nodded not feeling any better about it but knowing what she said was true. The group was silent until a timid voice fluttered in.

"Is dinner ready Auntie Muriel?" All heads turned to Andrece. Her hair was messed, her eyes reddish from crying. Muriel quickly went to the girl and hugged her.

"Yes dear it is. Come on lets eat."

As they sat down to eat Andrece would meet no one's eyes. She left after only half finishing her plate. Muriel saw the concern on Jason's face. "Don't fret she's still not quite settled. Tomorrow she'll be fine and not remember the incident."

Jason only nodded and ate his dinner. After seconds and dessert the now tired teens retired to bed. Kim gently knocked on the bedroom door not wanting to enter unannounced, she hear only peaceful silence as Zack, Billy and Jason quietly said good night.


	2. Chapter 2

It was early, too early as far as Jason was concerned when he heard the persistent knocking at his door. Clad only in a pair of track pants he opened it. "Sorry Jason but you have to come with me." Kimberly said. Jason rubbed his eyes trying to wake up more to help his friend.

"What's the matter?" he asked as Kim pulled him into her and Andrece's room. He looked around the little room. Kim pointed to Andrece's bed. There huddled tightly in the corner was Andrece. "What happened?"

"I woke up when I heard her crying. I think she was dreaming but I couldn't wake her. As soon as I touched her she freaked."

"Kim why didn't you go and get Muriel? Why me?"

"I know Muriel has been dealing with this for a while so I thought she could use the sleep. And you were the one who calmed her down in the barn I thought you could do the same now."

Jason sighed and looked at Kim. She was trying to be strong but he could tell this was scaring her. "Go and lay down in my room. I'll stay with Drece." She was about to protest when he all but pushed her out the door.

With Kim gone Jason looked at his task. This wasn't going to be easy. With great caution in mind he sat down on Andrece's bed. Her eyes were wide but it was as if she saw nothing. Slowly Jason eased himself over to her she gently wrapped his arms around her slender frame. He tucked her head under his chin and slowly began to talk very softly to her.

Unknown to their friends this wasn't the first time something like this had happened. After their abduction by Rita and Zedd at almost every group sleep over they would end up like this. She had told him that she had bad nightmares and wouldn't sleep if it were possible but it wasn't until he saw it did he agree to help her. She never screamed in the dreams only curled herself in to a tight ball and shake.

"Drece you're fine. No one here is hurting you. You're safe." He repeated to her. The shaking soon stopped and her eyes slowly closed he ushered her into a sleep beyond where the dreams could get to her.

Releasing her Jason tucked her into bed before flopping down on the one Kim had left. Morning was coming too quickly.

Everyone stumbled into the kitchen around nine in the morning. Muriel was well prepared for this. The information they learned last night would not have left pleasant dreams. When all were accounted for and eating breakfast she broached the subject. "Today is supposed to be beautiful why don't you all go for a ride? Annie can show you around the trails and then come back here for lunch. How does that sound?"

Smiles from Billy, Kimberly and Zack were expected; Annie had told her at one time how much they loved animals and or the great outdoors. The smile from Andrece was not what she counted on.

"That sounds great. It's been like forever since I've been riding," Kimberly said.

"The pony ride at the fair doesn't count as real riding Kim." Zack replied a grin on his face.

"I'll have you know Daddy paid for real ridding lessons when I was younger. I use to love it but then I got caught up in gymnastics."

"Good then it's settled. After breakfast we'll get you suited up and off you go." As the others got up to get ready Jason lagged behind.

"Are you sure this is such a good idea?"

Muriel turned to the handsome teen, "Look Jason I care for Andrece too but I know that she's a tough girl and not a fragile thing to be cared for like she'll break any second. She loves ridding it relaxes her. Besides it's not like she'll be alone with all of you." Muriel sighed at the unchanged worry on Jason's face. "Okay if you want to be like that take a radio so if anything happens you can call for help."

"Thanks." He said jogging off to get ready like the others.

"He sure is the big bro to them all." She muttered to herself as she filled the sink with water and soap.

"Alright everyone set?" the teens nodded. Andrece was just finishing getting her horse set as Kim and Billy waited. Jason and Zack were still trying to mount their horses. "Easy Zack, Jazz will get as hyper as you are if you're not careful."

"Got cha, c'mon Jase we don't want the girls to beat us there."

Jason only smiled as Andrece and her horse Prince walked past. Muriel handed Jason a radio and nodded to him. "Now you kids be careful you hear?" A series of agreements reached her ears as they trotted off.

"This is so cool!" squealed Kimberly as the horses trotted in to the forest. "I can see how you like it up here Drece."

"Yes it is in deed peaceful and relaxing." Billy agreed. Andrece only smiled and led their way through the forest.

After a few minutes of riding in relative peace the teens could hear the sound of rushing water. As they made it a round a bend in the trail their way opened to a beautiful sight of a natural wonder. Thirty feet above them was the crest of the water fall that even now in mid March was still accented by icicles. The water fell gracefully into a deep pool at their level. It meandered slowly around rocks and fallen logs with grace only nature could capture. Off to the right stood a broad reaching ancient tree, perched in it's twisted branched a white owl watched.

"This is so cool." Zack said in awe. His horse stood next to Andrece's.

"This is where I got my powers." She said. Zack gaped at her. "At the base of that tree, well really just under it I found my morpher and coin." Stretching her arms Andrece dismounted with ease and loosely tied her horse to a branch. The other's followed suit.

"Too bad it wasn't warmer, this pool looks perfect for swimming." Kim said as she stood on the bank.

"Even in mid July the water is cold. It's mostly fed from an underground river." Andrece said standing next to her friend. She turned to Kim, "Look I'm sorry for running off on you guys but I needed to get away. IT was personal stuff."

"Aww Drece that's okay your aunt brought us up to speed. Don't be angry, we were really worried about you. We spent two weeks hounding your dad before he told Jason where you were." Andrece looked at her friend and was about to reply when Kim cut her off. "Don't say sorry, we totally understand." Kim wrapped her arms around Andrece and hugged her tight. "Just promise me that if anything like this happens again that you'll tell me at least what is going on okay?"

"Okay. I promise."

The group of five stood on the banks of the river for almost a half an hour when their eyes caught something. A pair of wolves came racing out from the other side of the river they locked eyes with the rangers before scampering on, crossing the water with the use of a log.

"Oh my –" Kim didn't get a chance to finish when shots rang out through the air.


	3. Chapter 3

An: I know it's short but I wanted to break it up a bit. Thanks for the review, it's nice to know people still read this stuff.

The rangers flattened themselves on the ground. As the bullets whizzed over head they could hear the hooves pounding of the horses. With great speed Andrece raced towards them, Jason followed and tackled her just as a bullet came toward her. Their fall rolled them towards the pool. As Andrece was fighting to regain her footing she pushed against Jason's form as they rolled. Suddenly her world went dark; the cold shock stopped her from fighting. She pushed herself towards the surface. Gasping for air she turned around to see the back and her friends.

"Oh my God! Where's Jason?" Kimberly cried as she crawled along the ground. Andrece looked around her. He had last been seen covering her, when they hit the water he had let go. Andrece took a deep breath and dove under searching with her hands for it was too dark to see. On her second trip down she latched onto something that felt like the down jacket Jason had been wearing. Using all her strength she pulled him up. Getting his head above water was difficult if he were above she was below. By the time they reached shore Billy was knee deep in the water reaching for them as Zack held Kimberly.

Together they dragged Jason on to dry land. Billy checked for a pulse. "It's there but weak." He checked for breathing and found none. "Does anyone know CPR?"

For an answer Andrece pushed Billy out of the way. She checked his airway to be free from and blockage and proceeded to give him two breathes; then two more, then two more. On the last set Jason began to cough up the water that had been in his lungs.

"Relax Jason. You're okay." She said as she backed away letting him get in more air. She looked at the group, Kim had tears in her eyes, and Zack and she were both smeared with mud. Billy was rechecking Jason's pulse and sighed in delight.

"Andrece are you okay?" Zack asked as Kim calmed. He turned to their red headed friend. She was pale and shaking, a glassy look in her eyes. "Uh oh" He quickly let Kim go and turned his full attention to Andrece.

"What's uh oh?" Jason barked his voice raw and scratchy.

"I think she's panicking. Andrece calm down. Everything's alright." Zack looked into Andrece's eyes trying to get her to look at him. Knowing it could be from the swim in the cold water he slung his jacket over her shoulders. He finally figured that she wasn't looking at him but something past him; he turned and looked up the barrel of a rifle.

"Sorry mate, but you ain't alright by a long shot." There before them stood two men no older then their mid twenties. The one who spoke had the rifle pointed at Zack while his buddy was casually covering the others. The man's eyes left Zack and looked at Andrece. "Nice seeing you again sweet. Do you think we could have another go round? Our last time got interrupted." He laughed at the terror that played across her face.

"Settle down buster, or you may go for another swim." The other man said as Jason was trying to get up, anger clearly written on his face. "I'm not here to play nice kiddies. You saw something you shouldn't have and we can't let that stand."

"The wolves, you were hunting them?" Kimberly asked in a hushed voice and she helped Billy restrain the still weak Jason.

"There is no season in this area for wolves. They are endangered." Billy replied.

"Exactly buddy. So you see are problem." The man with the beard laughed slightly then gestured with his rifle. Get up. We got a walk to start."

Zack carefully helped Andrece to her feet, as Kimberly and Billy helped Jason to his. He leaned heavily on their shoulders. "You okay?" Kim asked at the men nudged them with the barrel.

"I don't think so." Jason all but groaned. It wasn't until twenty minutes and a lot of hard walking later that it was apparent. His knees gave out on him suddenly taking Kim and Billy to their own.

"Please let us stop, our friend is hurt." Kim pleaded. The two men grumbled but stopped walking.

"Jason what's wrong?" Billy asked Kim released her arms from him and showed her hard to Billy.

"I think I know." Her hand was crimson. "It must have happened when he tackled Andrece."

Billy nodded and quickly undid Jason's jacket and lifted up his jacket. There was a scrap of a bullet path crossing his side, it wasn't serious now but it could turn that way quickly. Billy looked at Zack who still held Andrece. She was a little more coherent but still not stable.

Billy motioned for Kim and Zack to step aside for a moment. "Jason is wounded and in no shape to travel. Andrece is similarly out; I suggest that we get out of here."

"How?" Zack asked. "It's not like we can morph."

"Why not? These men don't know us and it is unlikely that we would meet again. And in this situation I would recommend it post haste." He looked over to Andrece and Jason both were pale and at best semi-coherent.

Zack looked at Kimberly and agreed, but the question was still how and when. "What's the matter with the tough guy?" on of the men growled as he broke though the group to stand beside Jason. He saw the blood on Kim's hands and smiled. "Hey you didn't miss everything." He called to his bearded friend. "You hit the pretty boy."

The other man didn't respond his attention wasn't on the other teens; his was on the red head he squatted beside. He leaned closer to her, brushed her wet hair aside and whispered in her ear. Smiling he sat back on his heels. "Get them moving will ya?" he called to his partner. "I'm getting cold."

The man covering Kim, Billy, Zack and Jason prodded the teens with the barrel of his rifle. "Alright get moving." As they turned to stand the teens saw their chance for escape.

"Dammit!" hollered. The man and teens turned to see Andrece standing over the other man who was clutching his stomach in obvious pain.

Andrece hauled the man up to his feet. "You will never touch me or my friends again." She all but growled at him. With no warning a swift punch to the temple sent the man to his knees and then to his back out cold. Andrece rounded to the other man who was bringing his rifle to aim.

"Just try that on me chick. When I'm done with you you'll think he was gentle." A gentle tapping on his shoulder made him turn. He wasn't prepared to see a fist coming at him.

"Back off." Jason grunted as soon as he was certain the man was down for the count he let the weariness in his body take over and he gracelessly fell. Luckily Billy caught him and eased him down.

"Well that works I guess." Zack said as he gathered the rifles up. "Can we head back now?"

"Certainly, do you know the way?" Billy asked a slightly undercut of humour in his voice.

"Do you know where we are Drece?" Kimberly asked as for the first time she took a good look around them. Tall ancient trees guarded them on all sides. The once warm sunshine had dimmed and hidden behind gathering clouds.

"Whistle." She replied. Andrece gave three sharp whistles.

"And that was for…?" Kimberly asked.

"The horses, they'll find us." Within ten minutes the five horses arrived. "That's why we tied them loosely, for the just in case factor."


	4. Chapter 4

AN: I am so sorry for the really ridiculously long delay in the update but I hit a massive wall of writers block. So if there is anyone still reading this… thanks for hanging in there. As everyone says please read and review. I'll take all flames included.

Both Billy and Zack whistled as loud as they could then turned to look at Andrece. "You think they'll come?"

Andrece nodded, "When my aunt and I started working with the horses, we would gather them up but calling to them. As we got more we went to a whistle."

"We were going through some heavy stuff back there; will they be able to make it here?" Kim asked crouching closer to where Andrece was semi sprawled.

"They may take a little longer then we did but they'll come. Then we simply send them home."

The group sat quietly the only sounds were those of the birds surrounding them and the odd groan from the unconscious men. "What are we going to do with these two?" Zack asked nudging one of the men with his boot.

"Tie them up with something and then take them back with us." Jason said. He glared at the bodies of their tormentors; it was their fault for the pain in his side and the unplanned hike into the wilderness and for scaring Andrece all over again.

"Why don't we simply teleport to the Command centre? We can get you two warmed up and dried off and drop these guys at the local police headquarters." Kim said noticing the shivering from both Jason and Andrece.

"You forget we're not in Angel Grove right now, people around here won't be use to having criminal dropped into their hands by a few people in spandex. Plus Muriel would notice no doubt that Drece and Jason had changed their clothes." Billy replied.

"She knows."

"How?" was the response from the other four.

"She figured it out when I first got my powers, not much makes it past my aunt."

"Okay it doesn't really matter that one person knows does it? It's not like she's going to blab this all over town." said Zack.

"What about the horses?" Andrece asked. "We are not leaving them out here after having called them. They would spend the night looking for us I know it."

"It doesn't matter….they found us." Kim said pointing to the moving black, brown and white forms closing in on them.

Andrece stood on shaking legs and gave a short yip, the others could see the horses pick up their pace and almost trot towards the group. Prince stopped a few feet away from Andrece and gave a snort. Andrece merely smiled and rubbed his velvety nose. "Billy Zack, do you think you could get those guys on to Tate? He's the only one who can handle their dead weight." The boys gave her a confused look until she pointed to the horse Jason had been riding. "Jase you'll ride with me okay? Prince should be able to carry us with out too much trouble."

"Hey Zack…in my pack on the horse there's a radio that Muriel lent me. We should give here a shout about what's going on." Jason said as he slowly stood and walked over to Prince.

Muriel was starting to worry; it was a little past one in the afternoon and the kids were suppose to be back by noon. She was looking out the west window when the radio crackled to life. "Muriel you there?" came a youthful voice.

"I'm here…where are you kids?"

"We ran into a little trouble up here. Can you get the police to meet us at the barn?"

"Wait one minute young man…you're going to tell me what happened this instant."

"Muriel?" It was Jason he was sounding a little out of breath. "We got tangled up with some poachers; they're out cold now and are with us heading back. At least one of them new Drece from before…can you please get the police or the sheriff to meet us?"

"I'll call them in a minute…are any of you hurt?"

"Nothing serious…just a few scraps but mostly cold."

"How long will you be?" She could tell they weren't telling her the whole truth but some was better then none.

"Drece figures about an hour maybe a bit more." Jason replied. "We're not exactly on a cut trail here."

"Understood Jason…call me back if there are any problems. Oh by the way there's a first aid kit in one of the saddle bags."

"Will do."

"Well that answers that." She said to herself as she began the search for the elusive cordless phone.

"Alright are we set to go?" Kim asked as she finally got into the saddle of Sashes.

"Just a sec Kim…Muriel said something about a first aid kit in one of the bags. I think Jason could use it." Billy said. He started to dig through the bags on his horse Bran. He found the sought after box on Sashes. "Come here Jase." Billy rolled his eyes at the head shake he fully expected and got from their leader in red. Jason caught the eye roll and walked over to Billy. He gingerly tore off the jacket he was wearing it hit the ground with a wet plop. Billy carefully rolled his top up to expose the wound. With untrained hands he tried as hard as he could not to cause Jason pain. He knew he didn't succeed when the hiss escaped his patient.

"Okay Jason I think that's all I can do." He put the remains of the items he used back into the kit and placed it back into the saddle bag he got from. "Okay Kim, now we're set, let's go home."


End file.
